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Sunday, August 2, 2015

Two cards with one of my drawings, scanned and computer-printed in black and white, then colored with Copic markers. I love the bright tropical look of the flowers and leaves. I will probably add a stem for the top flower, which looks a bit disconnected now.

Like many of my drawings for cards, this one started with "just a drawing" (posted here), which I then rearranged and redrew to work in a card setting. Technique: When coloring a complex image like this, I tend to lose track of leaf/petal/background, so I start with a very light green (G000) to outline all of my leaf shapes. It's an easy way for me to avoid some coloring mistakes.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Today's card is a happy byproduct of yesterday's airbrushed stencil card. I've found the easiest way for me to clean the airbrushed Copic ink off my stencil (plastic, metal, or magnetic masking material) is to spritz it lightly with Copic "0" colorless blender solution in a misting bottle, and then press a paper towel or piece of card stock onto it. I typically choose card stock because often, as shown here, a beautiful one-of-a-kind print is the result.

For the card, I trimmed down my print, double matted it, and stamped it with a sentiment and pair of leaflets. With my one and only piece of the print, I made just one card (below) but I tried another color combination (above) which was more photogenic. In real life, the card below is richly handsome - perfect for the recipient.

Technique: I die cut a stencil using this art magnetic masking material from Ellen Hutson. The detailed PTI cover plate: twist design cut beautifully and cleanly. (I left the tiny ovals in place on my stencil, but I could have removed them with no problem.) Airbrushing was so much easier with the Ellen Hutson craft assistant securing the magnetic stencil on my card stock.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Simple and bright with blue dots (printed and punched) and a large green leaflet. I like the accent line of green and blue embroidery floss.

This is my last card design for Operation Write Home, included in my final box. Over the past five years, I've really enjoyed making cards for OWH. I'm very thankful that I had such a great opportunity to support our deployed troops and their families.

For more information about Operation Write Home's closing and the "finishing strong" campaign, with all cards due by August 1, click here.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Two bright red bouquets from one set of stamps and dies. I drew some aqua lines (horizontal) for the jar and white stems for the leaves and flowers. Because the dies left white around the stamped leaves and flowers, I included white borders on the jar label and the brown sentiment strip, to unify the look of the card.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

A card with some red, white, and blue Love for Operation Write Home's June banners challenge. With our OWH August 1 deadline coming soon, I wanted to use up the rest of this hearts print and those sweet tiny words - "Be mine, Forever and always, You make me happy" and more.

So I adapted the layout from an earlier card (shown below) while using most of the same materials. Both cards are nice, but I think the "after" card (above) is more vibrant with the wide red banner and lively embossing pattern.

Edited July 4, 2015 to add: See this post for another "after" version.

The only new supplies on the "after" are - Added some red embroidery floss (DMC 347) and changed embossing folder to Sixxix retro cirque (retiring.)

On the "after" card, I forgot to edge the hearts print with B39 Copic marker like the "before"card. It looks better with the edging (below.)

Before

Both cards were created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (387)

Thursday, June 25, 2015

A red, white, and blue "miss you" card with lots of stars, embossed and die cut. For the Operation Write Home June challenge from Our Daily Bread Designs. Many thanks to ODBD for supporting our deployed troops through these monthly challenges.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Strong colors with curves and lines. The sentiment in a slanted font, offset on two lines, gives a sense of movement on the scallop-print paper, while the embossed stripes offer a stable foundation. And that's how I see it.

About Me

I love to draw and color, mostly with Copic markers, and that's what my first blog "Mostly Markers" is about. As I found myself creating more greeting cards (of course, still with lots of drawing and coloring!), I added my second blog "Mostly Markers - Cards." Also, I love to sing - both church choir and Sacred Harp singing. (To learn about the Sacred Harp tradition, see www.fasola.org)

to learn more about Copic markers

For Copic marker information and lots of really good tutorials, I encourage you to visit I Like Markers, Marianne Walker's blog. Start at her earliest post (2008) for basic info and work forward from there.

About My Cards and My Blog

I'm mostly not a stamper, so for my card images, I often do my own line drawing, then color it with markers. To use it multiple times, I scan it before coloring, then computer-print it. For more on my drawing process, see "How I Draw," and also "Anybody Can Draw."

I use Copic markers (I prefer "original" and also have some of the "sketch" type), Copic multiliner pens, and the Copic airbrush (airbrushing with my markers). See "About My Tools and Materials" for my Copic colors and other tools, materials, supplies and sources. Techniques and materials may also be noted in the blog post.

I will post a few times a month, whenever I have a new card to share. The date on each post is the approximate date of the card, not always the posting date. Reference posts like "About My Labels" are filed together as 1973, but are much newer.